|
The UK Games Expo is a few months away, and many people are excited about the huge X-Wing tournament which will take place over the weekend. But X-Wing is a new kid on the block and the Expo has been hosting national tournaments for years now. Before Luke Skywalker even lined up his first maneuver template, there was Settlers of Catan; a tournament with over a hundred participants at the latest count, and with a ticket to an international final as a prize.
Settlers is the archetypal gateway game. It is one of those games where game geeks and occasional players can learn and play. Like Scrabble, Cluedo and Risk, it is becoming a game you can play with anybody without needing to teach the rules. And, with its forgiving mechanics and not insignificant luck element, many beginners try their hand in a contest. This makes the tournament fun and unpredictable. But the same few people place in the top tier each year, so there must be something they are doing right. Having tried my hand over a couple of years, and observed what causes people to win and lose, I’ve written my thoughts to help anyone who might want to give it a go.
1) Know your rules.
It sounds odd, but there are often disagreements. House rules become real rules in the minds of your gaming group. So, read the rule book from start to finish. Some rules which catch people out are:
When you can play a knight card.
When you can reveal a card that wins the game.
3-4 player vs 5-6 player differences. (The tournament uses 3-4-player rules).
2) Know when to trade.
It sounds obvious, but each trade an opponent offers will benefit them in some way. Don’t trade if it doesn’t help make your position stronger or the leader’s position weaker. Don’t trade with anyone who is 2 VPs away from winning unless it will win you the game.
3) Be quick to trade.
When someone offers a trade, they will usually take the first trade offered. Nobody wants their opponents to think too hard and change their mind. So, if offered a trade that benefits you and you are happy to make (see rule 2), hold out the cards and say yes straight away. Likewise, don’t dither when your opponent says yes.
With this in mind, it helps to know what you are able to give up and what you need to keep. Order your hand into swaps and keeps, to make this decision a little faster.
4) Know who is strongest.
Settlers is a great game of balance. The robber offers an opportunity to level the playing field. Be aware of who is winning at all points and hit them with the grey jelly baby of doom. Also, don’t trade with the leader unless it will help you to overtake them.
Furthermore, if a person has personalised pieces or Settlers merchandise, they are probably good at the game. If they have personalised pieces/merchandise and are pretending to be bad at the game, they are probably very good at the game.
5) Know what a face down development card means.
There is no benefit to bluffing and looking more powerful than you really are in Settlers. So, a face-down development card is a VP or knight until proven otherwise. If your opponent has the robber on one of their hexes and a face-down development card on the table, it’s a VP. When working out who is your most powerful opponent, don’t forget to count face-down VPs.
6) Be prepared for TFG.
Most people in the tournament are cool and friendly. But some, of all abilities, take it far too seriously. Be prepared for TFG tactics. The main one is pretending to offer a trade for an item, hearing offers from a number of players, and then using the monopoly card to claim the items without trading. (To avoid this, don’t declare what you have. Just ask what the other person would accept.) TFG will also sulk if you hit him/her with the robber, refuse to trade in the early stages and grumble if you talk to a non-player friend at the table. TFG should be provoked at every opportunity.
7) The most important rule.
This rule is not mentioned in the rule book, but it is vital for tournament play, especially with beginners. Settlers is a social game. You are playing a group of people with differing levels of experience and knowledge of the game. How nice and sociable you are will affect your opponents’ decisions around trading and who to hit with the robber. The less experienced the opponent, the more important this will be, so social aspects are vital in the early stages of the tournament. Gamer geeks are not always the most naturally sociable people, so a few reminders.
Introduce yourself when you sit down and chat whilst you are waiting to start. Learn your opponents’ names and use them; it’s only polite. Have a laugh; it’s only a game. Don’t take forever to take your turn. Don’t get huffy if you are hit with the robber when you aren’t winning. Be a little more liberal with your trades in the first few turns.
Think about it. If you are offered an identical trade from the nice guy who has been making friendly small talk and the idiot who refuses to engage in conversation, you will go for the nice guy every time.
The first rules in this post appear quite mercenary. This rule is the most important one because it might just trump any of the others. Is the young kid losing terribly and offers you a poor trade so they can get back into the game? Be nice. Is the newcomer getting rules wrong? Be patient. All the above rules should be read in context of this one.
Hope that helps. There must be at least a couple of readers going to the expo this year. Would be interested to read anyone’s thoughts or additions below.
Ludo
|
